- Howard Animal Control said 44 birds, including pelicans and swans, have been found dead at Duck Creek Quarry.
- The area and its surrounding trails are closed for testing. A reopening will be evaluated after five consecutive days without a sick or dead bird.
- Video shows the quarry barricaded. Call (920) 530-1044 if you see signs of a sickly animal in the area.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
An update now after multiple geese were found dead at duck creek quarry.
As of Thursday, 44 birds, with majority being geese, have been found dead at Duck Creek Quarry.
Howard Animal Control said the deaths are because of avian influenza, better known as the bird flu.
Now, the park and the trails surrounding it are closed as testing in the area continues.
According to the CDC, "bird flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with bird flu viruses have occurred."
Howard animal control/humane officer, Matt Atkinson, said animal decoys were also placed to keep the geese from grouping up altogether.
Now the next step is to go five straight days with no sick or dead birds in the area.
Officer Atkinson says the park and trails are checked about one to two times a day.
"That should be enough where we've pretty much got most of it curtailed and we'll find a way to sanitize it at a large scale and we'll be able to open it back up again," Atkinson said.
Officer Atkinson says after the 5-day period animal control will work with the Wisconsin DNR on the steps to safely open the area.
If you find what looks like a sickly animal on these grounds, you can give animal control a call at (920) 530-1044.
